Conference misery::feline_v1

    A good long blast on your car horn probably would have scared
    the deer into the woods.
    
    Edd (who appreciates your not wanting to antogonize armed 'hunters')

    
    Suzanne,
    
    I know how you feel from both points.  I've seen people on the side
    of the road with guns and bows and arrows and I've also seen killed
    deer being dragged out of the woods.  When I was a child I also
    saw two deer being hung out on a neighbors front porch to cure or
    do whatever it is they do to the poor things.  I just want to tell
    these people how cruel and insensitive they are being to these animals
    but I like you have a fear of doing so.
    
    I think it makes sense to fear some of these hunters because some
    of them are really crazy.  I live across the street from a large
    wooded/fielded area and two of my neighbors told me that they have
    been shot at while walking through this area.  One of them was so
    panik stricken that she crawled back to her house on her hands and
    knees.  She moved away about two months later and that was her main
    reason for leaving.
    
    It's just not right that people are given licenses to out and shoot
    at anything that moves and .... I'm going to stop now because my
    blood pressure is going up and no good will come of that!!
    
    Any how, I'm glad your weekend ended on a good note and the two
    deer escaped without being harmed!!
    
    
    Jeanne
    
    

    I agree, Edd, the horn works for lots of animals on the road or
    near it.  I've done it many times, and they run like crazy!  Of
    course, then I brake!, which probably drives the person behind
    me mad - I guess I'd rather hit anything except an animal.

    I totally agree with not antagonizing hunters they can be a truly
    CRAZY bunch!!!
    
    Once when I lived in Wayland, our land bordered on conservation
    land. There was also a pond which ran on both our land and the 
    state land. It was difficult to tell where the property line was 
    but nobody really cared because people used the land for nature hikes and
    horseback riding - no one was destructive. This went on for a few
    years, but one fall I heard gunshots out back. So stupid me - I
    went out on foot and confronted a duck hunter who turned his
    gun on me. Yes, I was petrified and I remember I just frozen in my
    tracks. When I got myself back together I said I was leaving to
    call the police - and did. Of course he immediately left (I assume
    because we never heard any more gunshots).  When I think about it - 
    that guy could have shot ME and no one would ever have known who did it. 
    That was about 10 years ago.
    
    Last summer my daughter (who is 20, 5'2" and 110 lbs) was jogging 
    alone around a pond in Framingham when she came upon a man torturing 
    a turtle. I won't go into the facts but she confronted him and he 
    threatened to shoot her with a gun he claimed was in his car. She
    reported him to both the police and the MSPCA. 
                                                                  
    Where we now ride our horses we have to be careful of hunters as
    so frequently they shoot at anything that moves. They are so ignorant
    and careless and unfeeling!!
     
    I greatly dislike hunters because I think so many of them think it is
    a "macho" thing to do. I guess a kill makes them feel as if they
    have accomplished something, and they resent people who "interfere"
    with their fun. Our wildlife is such a precious commodity and
    we should be protecting it - not killing it.
    
    Sorry I have gone on at such length. This is one of my hot buttons. 

   >Our wildlife is such a precious commodity and
   > we should be protecting it - not killing it.
    
   I agree with a hatred of hunters and hunting, HOWEVER, we are
building houses in the woods and other habitats that our wild animals
live in, thereby reducing their available food and living area...if
we insist upon invading their territory, we leave them to less and
less land - thereby forcing them into mass starvation if their numbers
are not controlled.  I grew up in New Mexico where hunting was totally
stopped for 4 years when I was a kid....having already killed off the
wolves and most of the cougers in the state, we were suddenly faced
with a deer over-population problem that caused thousands of them
to starve to death - in spite of attempts to get food to them by
helicopter during the winter.   I still remember how horrible they
looked.....even though noone in my family has ever been a hunter, I
have since accepted the fact that sometimes they must be accepted as
part of the ecological equation.   New Mexico ended up having to 
repopulate with imported deer because we lost 96% of our deer population
to starvation.....and the land took 5 years to recover because it
had been stripped of vegetation....it was an ugly education for us all.

    I have some agreement with .5.  Yes, we humans are invading wildlife
    territory, but how about these ideas.
    
         1.. Let's bring back the wolves and big cats so that nature
             can once again be in balance.
         2.  Instead of constantly curbing the animal population to
             fit out needs, maybe we humans should consider curbing
             our own population.  
    
    Jeanne
    
    

>         1.. Let's bring back the wolves and big cats so that nature
>             can once again be in balance.
>         2.  Instead of constantly curbing the animal population to
>             fit out needs, maybe we humans should consider curbing
>             our own population.  
    
GREAT IDEA!!!!!  I would add - if it is the perfect place for ducks or
deer or bears, or.....DON'T BUILD YOUR HOUSE THERE!  Leave it for the
ducks, deer, and bears.  Oh, and if you do go to their part of the
world, don't start yelling to have a beast killed because it hurts you...
you don't belong there and you are taking your chances when you go to
the woods.  In a perfect world that would be the way it is...but we
don't have a perfect world.
    

    
    
    	Re: all
    
    	I feel that hunting season should only be allowed on an animal
    	if they are approaching over-population.  Moose hunting is
    	ridiculous - they are very rare animals.  Deer hunting is much
    	more reasonable.
    
    	I grew up in hunter's paridise, except it was posted "No Hunting,
    	No Trespassing".  But gunshots were still heard.  Really pissed
    	me off!!  My parents used to have to drive us to the bus and
    	back, due to these illegal hunters.  And one year ago, my parents
    	dog was shot but hunters in a clearly posted area!!!
    
    	Those hunters that break the rules are the ones we should resent.
    	I must admit though, I can't understand why anyone could derive
    	enjoyment from killing innocent animals.  But I'd rather see
    	them die a quick death, rather than die from starvation.
    
    	Karen

    
    
    	Boy this is a tough one and just like religion and baseball
    everyone has a different belief.  I guess I would have to agree
    somewhat with note .5  No one wants to see the animals killed,
    but who wants to see them starve and they will starve if we leave
    them to over populate.  We have friends who hunt and they are no
    sadistic wild men.  They only go in the unposted area and do not
    shot at just anything.  You're right, there are a few who are like
    that, but the majority of hunters are responsible people.  There
    is alot of money that is made from selling hunting licenses and
    that money goes to the WildLife Federation who protects the wildlife
    that we all love.  We moved into the territory of the animals and
    now we are responsible for their well being.  If you love nature,
    then contribute to one of the Wildlife Organizations and do something
    construction about it instead of complaining how sad it is to see
    animals hunted.  Animals have been hunted for years and many species
    are extent because of mans/womens ego, due to wearing furs, features,
    perfumes, jewelry.  Like others have said, it is not a perfect world,
    what can you do, DON'T buy fur coats, don't buy jewelry made from
    animal tusks, don't buy exotic bird features for decoration.  Try
    to live in harmony with nature, but that means to act responsible,
    and if that means thinning the herd so that we have healthy deer
    then that is what we do.  
    
    I do know that it is unlawful to shot a deer that is still spotted.
    Please don't take this note as being uncaring, believe me I do,
    but I also feel that too many people are willing to point a finger
    at the hunters and yet turn around and do nothing about the problem.
    This is certainly not a FLAME, but my opinion.  Deer are alot smarter
    than you think and most hunters come home with nothing but stories
    of seeing deer, they are clever animals who know how to take care
    of themselves and they know all the tricks of hiding.  The fit do
    survive - that's natures way.
    
    

    RE: .9   Nicely said.  I am a member of the World Wildlife Fund.
    They are the most respectable, what I mean by that is when they
    send you mail, they don't show you gross pictures, instead, what
    it could/SHOULD be like.
    
    I went was at the Topsfield fair Sunday and there was this chicken
    farmer that grew a huge crowd around him because he said he was
    going to chop off this chickens head.  He talked and talked about
    his business (educating the crowd on raising chickens).  At the
    end he spared the chicken thank GOD!  I would have not only cried
    if he did it but I was all set to write a million and one letters and
    make a couple thousand phone calls also.  Wouldn't have that been
    illegal to do such a thing in public?
    
    Linda

    

    I think many people, including myself, would have more respect for
    hunters if they were marksmen, i.e., could kill on first shot. However,
    any idiot can get a hunter's license and those are the ones about
    whom I refer. I agree that herds should be thinned out - but the
    healthy adults should not be the target - rather the sick ones who 
    might not make it through the winter. If it hit and is not killed on
    the first shot and gets away then I shudder at the thought of a 
    wounded creature wandering until it either heals or dies.
    
    I was told that in West Germany (I think it is W.G. - I'm sure someone can
    correct me if this is the wrong country), before a person can
    get a hunting permit he has to take - and pass- a course in
    marksmanship. I agree with that law but I suspect some people in
    this country would think it was infringing upon their rights.